Werder Bremen. Pre-game Yada Yada: Vfb Stuttgart
Noting that neither Pasanen, Bargfrede nor Fritz have yet recovered from their injuries is probably not going add much to the desolateness of WB's current injury (and otherwise)situation.
Things seem to have become somewhat grave after the Twente match, to an extent that some "critics" are not even shying away frome touching formerly sacrosant subjects, like a debate about TS demission (see werder-fussballblog).
For various reasons, I would like to disagree with those positions. Their analysis of WB's weaknesses and tactical problems are usually very much along the lines of what I (and many others) noticed and acknowledged too. No denying that we have seen really awful matches lately and mistakes have surely been made, however, the conclusions to be drawn from that, at least from my side, would not be sacking the coach (how ungrateful and wrong!), but rather changing the team instead, something TS has surely been working on despite the obstacles. So we would finally get to see a pace-driven, vertical game again, excelling in combinatory football, early pressing and, most importantly, a successful team on the pitch, as we have come to like it in WB's bestest day's. Despite certain undeniable lows (Özil slack) the peaks were good and we don't seem to reach these anymore. That is what slightly worries me.
Why? Well, read more after the
So we do need some decisions, either matching a prefered system with players to make it come alive, which would not preclude buying new hopeful players on the 10'er position f.i. and could mean for other's maybe a goodbye (Almeida). Or we need to find a system to match our current players (Marin NOT on the diamond half positions or tenner), even if it means unpopular decisions line-up-wise for some. And spending money. In both cases, we would finally need a good enough back-up B-team of young players from WB II (as practiced to perfection by Mainz/BVB/Hoffenheim/Frankfurt)that could enliven our game when certain ijuries strike us or could increase pressure on A-team players, especially when it comes to pace and devotion, something very much lacking these days in WB's playstyle. Sure, we need experience, but we also need someone who can intercept successfully or play vertical passes quickly.
Apart from the usual worum madness, an awkward silence prevails and one gets the impression some poeple even would like to make the game against Stuttgart a touchtstone for TS's future with Werder Bremen.
But those are mostly the envious types, the one's who quickly point at all those Tuchel's, Klopp's or Stanislawski's and their recent success (disregarding it did not happen instantaneously, but was part of a longer plan and also saw drawbacks) and only focussing on the young players sheer endless, impressive energy and breathtaking combinations on the pitch - indeed something to be marveled at - hoping they could instantly do the same for WB. Not asking for the downsides of that strategy, see Mainz current loss. I believe they misjudge the premises as well as the circumstances of their success - but - most importantly - also deny TS a chance for self-correction.
This season indeed saw a huge break, we lost Özil -- the heart of our spectacular 4-2-3-1 -- and no denying - so far we were unable to replace him. So you could say TS grossly misjudged the faculties of Marin and Hunt, hoping either of them could fill in. Letting even Pizarro play as tenner. Yet another way of looking at it is he gave them the chance needed to do so, yet neither seemed equipped enough to fill in. Well, that plus the injuries left us prone for weaknesses and patchwork line-ups. Now, that we know a 4-2-3-1 is impossible with the current squad, we could either change the system (diamond) or we could buy a player for that sepcific function. It would surely help Marin. So a general decision needs inevitably to be made. For seeing Almeida play crosses to Marin is an eyesore and totes wrong! It should be the other way around. Also offensive midfielders lingering around the halfline and angeling for their own balls is something I don't want to see anymore. Field a a quick midfield so we either leave little space between the backfour and the sixer(s) and also feed balls to our forwards.
I admire that TS is not having all these discussions in public, for I don't think they belong there (unless you want to have FC Hollywood) - and unlike some critics, I am sure, he is aware of the problems and will act accordingly.
And my position is not owed to unquestioning loyalty either - but more to the fact that WB's current problems result not from wrong tactical/motivational mistakes as such, although there were some (DFB cup finale, Sampdoria 2ndleg, Spurs 1st leg and, to a lesser degree, Twente 2nd leg) but more from unfortunate circumstances that have struck the team. Some who only see the negatives tend to ignore that.
Granted, some of the mess was forseeable (5 players for only 4 defense positions) and some of it was an utter mistake (Silvestre) that proved worse, not only because our LB got sick but one-third of our team also, some of it was due to subsequent improvisations system-wise and some of it was plain old bad luck.
I am confident TS will address those issues. And together with KA they will act accordingly, f.i. changing the nature of WB II to eventually add more hopefuls to our team. And finally go about in bringing in order and continuity, rather than franticly patching up holes and improvising. To do so, it needs the return of WB's injured players, but also more adequate additions to our A team. It might mean to acknowledge that Borowski and Silvestre were bad transfer decisions. That's easy. But shit can happen and I don't think this would justify sacking a coach. I am confident that they can do that and believe they are ready to tackle those things.
For otherwise it would seem that the whole unfortunate Boenisch dilemma (trusting him instead of buying a good replacement) might not only have cost us the CL, but eventually also TS's job. And I am afraid, I don't think Boenisch is worth it.
Here is the link to TS presser were TS explains his view on the whole Silvestre situation and the role of the media in that. Some "fans" have come to read it as saying fans should not boo/whistle players. But if one actually listens to the whole thing, he says something else. Before attacking him, one should at least watch it in its entirety.
I don't even want to start on Weser Zeitung/Kreiszeitung and all their spiteful malice of their recent articles. They are all kinds of wrong. I love how they turn around once they seize a chance for it. And, to keep this short, I will refrain from adjusting them. Both Knips and Waterkamp seem to enjoy their overtly populistic (and in essence wrong) accusations simply too much. Attacking like hungry wolves after years of dieting. Years and years of having been (rightly so) put into their place during pressers, surely have taken its toll on their nerves ;)
Knips_Schaaf_Kreis
Knips_vs_Schaaf_kreis
Matiszec_op-ed_weser
Waterkamp_Weser
As for tdys game. Harnik is being notoriously name-dropped when discussions arise about WB's wastage of young talents, alongside with Diekmeier (currently ong-term injured). So once and for all, both players wanted to leave! One even confessed to have liked the HSV all along, I am really glad for him he came out of that closet;)
In the case of Harnik, he left for 300.000 Euro, a rather small transfer amount it seems, but keeping in mind the transfer was less about a supposed gained profit, but more about his future wages and demanded playtime, it makes sense to let him go. Since he wanted to go and there were frictions anyway. He undeniably scored great golden goals for Vfb lately - and kept them in the EL competition (as well as the ANT qualified for EC) so understandably one might get envious or somewhat melancholic. But this melancholy is poisenous and does not help in finding a way out of the current situation. And denies the facts of his wanting to leave us.
Here's my line-up prediction (or rather, how I would field my Träumeland squad)
4-4-2 (diamond)
-----------Mielitz
Wesley - Merte - Prödl - Silvestre
-----------Frings
Bargfrede----------------Jensen
------------Hunt
Pizarro-------------Arnautovic